The sun was beginning to dip behind the skyline, casting golden shadows over the city streets. Alireza leaned against the railing of the rooftop terrace, eyes focused on the horizon, a breeze teasing through his dark hair.

He didn’t turn when he heard your footsteps. “I was wondering if you'd show,” he said, voice low and calm, with the faintest trace of a smile.

You stepped closer, watching the light reflect in his eyes. “Didn’t know you were the kind to wait.”

“I’m not,” he said simply, finally glancing at you. “But I figured you might be worth it.”

There was something unspoken in the silence that followed — a pull between two people standing just on the edge of something real.

“You always talk like that?” you teased.

He shrugged, lips curving just slightly. “Only when it matters.”